Do we really believe in hell?

I’m sitting at our lot after burning deadwood for the last six hours. It’s one of the favorite things my wife and I like to do. Not sure why, but it’s a lot of fun. 

 

As I sit here, I’m thinking about the blog I wrote about hell several months ago. The fire department burned an old house down on our lot and it was remarkable how phenomenally hot fire can be. It’s not like a fireplace or a campfire stove. When a real bonfire is going, the heat is unbearable. I can hardly walk around the fire within 5 feet of the fire pit. When the house was burning, I couldn’t get within 40 feet.

 

And that’s what made me think of hell.
 

My point in this blog is not to challenge anyone’s view of hell. It’s simply to ask this question. Do you and I really believe in what we say we believe? Do we truly believe in the reality of hell? As I look at how I spend my time, energy, and money, do I really believe in hell? If I do, then surely it will be reflected in how I Iive.
 

Personally, I think that the doctrine of hell is the most difficult doctrine to believe in Scripture. I certainly believe in hell. It is clearly taught, so I have to believe in it, but I don’t like it.

 

Hell is the only doctrine of irremediable punishment; there is no option to repent. That’s difficult for me.

 

What makes this even more personal is when the child of a good friend walked away from her childhood faith. Her parents were faced with the possibility of not only watching a child go to hell but also living for eternity in heaven without her. Both thoughts were devastating.

 

If we say that we believe in hell, it should radically affect how we live our lives. We would be heavily involved in evangelism whether through actual evangelism or supporting those who do. We would be heavily involved in spreading the gospel around the world. We would be heavily involved in missions. For me, this is what BiblicalTraining is all about. Getting the teaching of Christ out to the ends of the earth because, among other reasons, I want all people to have the option of hearing the gospel and responding to it and not going to hell.

 

So the question I’m asking is simply, do we really believe In hell? If we do, how is that belief affecting how we live our lives?